Uruth Ukrypt
Uruth was the king of the orcs of the Sword Mountains and led the orc invasion of Nimoar’s Hold (which later became Waterdeep) in the Orcfastings War in 936 DR. Uruth was a massive tusker. Background Uruth was an orc chieftain until 927 DR, when the shaman Wund crowned him king. His orcs instigated the Orcfastings War in 936 DR and he led them to victory in the Battle of Whirling Blades, the Battle of Sarcrag and the Battle of Withered Fields. He held Nimoar’s Hold (which later became Waterdeep) under siege until it was broken at the Battle of Burning Cliffs. In 951 DR, Uruth and his orcs laid waste to the human village of Phandalin. Subsequently, Uruth was killed in the Battle of the Westwood. Wund was an orc shaman from the tribes of the Sword Mountains in Northwest Faerûn. He was the founder of the Brotherhood of the Scarlet Scourge. Wund prophesied that on the eve of the Feast of the Moon, red clouds would appear over the mountains. On the date in question, this event actually occurred, and blood flowed down the mountains for three days, causing plagues to spread to the surrounding areas, and causing high casualties, in what was known as the “White Hand of Yutrus.” All of the tribal chieftains were wiped out. It was after this event that Wund founded the Brotherhood of the Scarlet Scourge, a monastic order dedicated to spiritually uniting the orcs of the Sword Mountains. Wund crowned Uruth Ukrypt as king and the orcs began driving the trolls out of the mountains. Phandalin was an important farming center located northeast of Leilon, where the Triboar Cutoff East fades into a trail. The road was abandoned after years of orc attacks obliterated every caravan that passed down the road, conquering Phandalin in the process. When the orcs were driven out, the village was left largely in ruins, and it remains so today. Under the leadership of a chieftain called Uruth, the orcs expanded steadily, building a realm called Uruth Ukrypt (Home of Uruth). Its name echoes today in Kryptgarden Forest. Too lazy to support themselves by farming, the orcs devastated the game in their realm and subsequently took to raiding human holdings for food. Some 400 years have passed since then, during which time concerted human attacks decimated the orc kingdom and nearly drove the creatures from the area entirely. No one lives here now but monsters, though passing hunters and rangers often camp in one of the more secure buildings. It still has three usable deep wells, one of which is considered to be heavily tainted with an undetectable poison that kills the imbiber three days after ingestion. Orcs and half orcs are supposedly immune to the toxin. The orc attacks forced gnomes and dwarves to abandon a mountain delve near Phandalin where they mined mithral in a union they called the Phandelver’s Pact. This lost lode was called Wavecho Cave because the roll of waves beating on the shore could be heard in the natural cavern. Shortly before the mine was abandoned, a lode of platinum was discovered. The size is unknown, but a very old dwarf who worked the mine remembers that the vein “held great promise.” Phandalin is the best preserved of the many ruined keeps and villages scattered along the Sword Coast, most of which are little more than heaped stones, graves, and cellars hidden by reed grasses and creeping vines. Many of these areas shelter predatory beasts or passing adventurers. More History 927 DR of the Red Rain The wrath of the orc god Yurtrus falls upon the Sword Mountains, causing the Blood Plagues. An orc shaman named Wund unites the orc tribes under the leadership of the chieftan Uruth, establishing the realm of Uruth Ukrypt. 934 DR of Fell Wizardry The orcs of Uruth Ukrypt eradicate the gnome settlements in the Sword Mountains and the surrounding foothills. 936 DR of the Sky Riders Orcfastings War Battle of Burning Cliffs; Battle of Horderoute; Battle of Sarcrag; Battle of Westwood; Battle of Whirling Blades; Battle of Withered Fields Led by Wund, the orcs of Uruth Ukrypt streams out of the Sword Mountains and attack Nimoar’s Hold, bringing an end to several small human realms clustered in the Dessarin Valley. Many refugees flee to the safety of Nimoar’s Hold, and the orcs are ultimately defeated in a series of conflicts including the Battle of Whirling Blades, the Battle of Sarcrag, the Battle of Withered Fields, the Battle of Burning Cliffs, the Battle of Westwood, and the Battle of Horderoute. 940 DR of the Cold Claws King Rauragh of Uruth Ukrypt plans to bring orc bands through the subterranean routes of the Underdark and then sweep on to Waterdeep, but Palarandusk the Sun Dragon destroys the orc horde before it can properly form. 951 DR of the Empty Hourglass Phandalin, an important farming center located southwest of Old Owl Well, falls to the orcs of Uruth Ukypt. 1018 DR of the Dracorage Uruth Ukrypt suffers greatly in battle against the green dragon Claugiyliamatar and the black dragon Shammagar as both wyrms plunder the orcs’ amassed wealth and destroy their food sources. 1024 DR of Lathander’s Light The Dawnbringer Company from Waterdeep invade the crypt of Uruth Ukrypt’s orcs, enraging the Brotherhood of the Scarlet Scourge into forming an orc horde called the Broken Bone (from the Sword Mountains) with the aim of destroying Waterdeep. The orcs are defeated by the dragon Lhammaruntosz (also known as “the Claws of the Coast”), which allows the armies of Waterdeep to persevere. 1026 DR of Crimson Magics Laroun, War Lord of Waterdeep, dies when orcs besiege the city. After the siege is broken, her successor Raurlor destroys the Black Claw orc horde at Stump Bog, shattering the strength of Uruth Ukrypt and sending it into its final decline. Category:Kingdoms Category:Orc kingdoms Category:Locations in the Sword Mountains